by Robin Roenker
photos by Mark Cornelison
For associate professor Mark Watson, as exciting as creating new materials is, one end-product is even more fundamental.
“When you think about research and teaching, of all our products, the most important ones are our students,” he began.
“In the end, whether they go on to be chemists in any professional sector (private, public, government, or academic), or executives, patent agents, technical sales reps, or whatever their career, we’ve empowered them for that future by providing an environment for their continued growth as independent researchers and problem solvers,” said Watson, who was awarded this year’s Young Investigator Award by the Kentucky Academy of Science.